Spent $50 on a Scarce Gran Turismo Demo Version and Have Absolutely No Regrets
The Gran Turismo (GT) series has always been synonymous with groundbreaking racing simulations, and one unusual piece of its history is the Gran Turismo 2000 (GT2000) demo disc. Compiled around 14 months before the release of Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec in 2001, this demo offers a fascinating insight into the game's development during the transition from the PlayStation to the PlayStation 2 era.
Initially thought to be a direct precursor or even the third installment in the series, GT2000 differs significantly from the final GT3 game. Unlike the full GT3, this demo feels much closer to Gran Turismo 2 in its gameplay and presentation. It features just one track, the Seattle Circuit from GT2, and a very limited selection of cars, with a strict two-minute race timer, rather than traditional lap-based racing.
The demo disc is considered rare and highly collectible today, partly because it offers a unique glimpse into the development process of a landmark racing simulator series and shows a version of the game that was never released commercially. It is prized for offering fans a unique, tangible window into Polyphony Digital's creative process during a pivotal moment for the franchise and the evolution of racing games on a new generation of consoles.
The demo disc, distributed to attendees of PlayStation Festival 2000 in Japan, features five opponents: a Honda NSX, FD Mazda RX-7, R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, Subaru Legacy B4, and Toyota Altezza. The game's physics are similar to those in Gran Turismo 2, making the car feel extremely light and tossable. Interestingly, walls do not slow the player down significantly, and it is possible to drive through a tire barrier and break out of the course's bounds.
Computer-controlled opponents in GT2000 exit most corners wide and strike the guardrails, adding to the arcade-style feel of the game. The Kingdome, a stadium that was demolished, is present in the Seattle Circuit track of GT2000, but in a simpler form compared to its representation in GT3.
The demo disc's graphics are not stellar, with lower-resolution textures and flat-looking environments compared to GT3. However, the heat haze effect in GT2000's replays was considered impressive at the time, showcasing the game's advanced real-time graphics.
In recent years, a developer named Silent, known for fixing old Grand Theft Auto games, has created cheats to remove the time limit and allow players to drive any of the game's six cars using the PCSX2 emulator. The game's soundtrack includes a song called "Mirage" by Daiki Kasho, which has a dedicated following despite being considered repetitive or obnoxious by some.
The Gran Turismo 2000 demo disc is historically significant as an early, rare development snapshot of the Gran Turismo series on PlayStation 2. It shows an intermediate phase where the developers were still transitioning from the style and features of GT2 before finalizing the groundbreaking GT3: A-Spec. This demo disc is a valuable piece of gaming history, offering fans a unique, tangible window into Polyphony Digital's creative process during a pivotal moment for the franchise and the evolution of racing games on a new generation of consoles.
The Gran Turismo 2000 demo disc, featuring gadgets like the Honda NSX and FD Mazda RX-7, offers a unique technology-driven glimpse into the development process of the groundbreaking Gran Turismo series, showcasing an intermediate phase where the developers were transitioning from the PlayStation to the PlayStation 2 era, and offering fans a tangible window into Polyphony Digital's creative process.
The demo disc, distributed in 2000, boasts advanced real-time graphics, with the heat haze effect in its replays being particularly impressive at the time, a testament to the evolving technology in racing game development on the new generation of consoles.
